Oil well pumping and flowing apparatus



June 23, 1931.

R. E. BERWICK OIL WELL PUMPING AND FLOWING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11.1930 I gwoe'ntoz Rjifier Wial enema June as, rear teaser ROBERT EBERWIQK, F NEWKIRK, come.

on. WELL PUMPING- AND FLUWTNG: APPARATUg Application filed September 11,1930. Serial No. 481,242.

It? to reduce to the minimum the overhead expense incident to'theelevation of oil from wells hich expense consists mainly of the pullingof tubing and rods from the well.

To attain the foregoing and other obj ects, the nature of which willappear as the description proceeds, the invention comprehends theprovision of a valve which shall be adapted to permitpressure fluid inthe casing to flow into the tubing when the pressure in the latter fallsbelow that in the former and which shall be adapted to prevent-the fluidin the tubing from flowing into the casing and when the pressure of theformer falls below that in the latter.

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described andclaimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1is a vertical sectional view illustrating the application of the valveto the tubing of an oil well flowing or pumping apparatus; v

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated bythe line 2-2 of Figure 1, and I v Figure 3 is a view in side elevationof one of the stems of the valve.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 1 designates a fragmentary portionof the tubing of an oil well flowing or pumping apparatus,

and 2 designates the valve.

The valve 2 comprises a one piece body 3 which is of hollow cylindricalformation and is internally screw threaded to receive the adj acent endsofadj acent sections 4 of the tubing v1. The body 2 is provided in its,inner side and centrally between its ends with an annular groove 5, thedepth of which is less than the thickness of the wall of the body, and

The invention consists in the construction,

groove 5 to and through the lower end of the g body. The passages 6communicate near their upper ends with the bottom of the groove 5 by wayof radial ports 7 which are. smaller diametrically than the greatestwidth of the groove. Cylindrical stems 8 are arranged vertically in thepassages 6 and'extend from the lower ends of the passages to a pointshort of the port 7. The stems 8 are carried by plugs 9 which arelocated at the lower ends of the stems and are screw threadedly engaged,as at 10, with the lateral walls of the passages 6. The plugs 9 areprovided in their lower sides with notches 11 to permit the stems 8 tobe applied to or removed from the passages 6by a screw driver. The stems8 and their attaching plugs 9' are provided with passages 12 whichextend longitudinally therethrough and have their upper ends enlarged toprovide seats 13 for, ball valves 14:. Those portions of the passages 6located above the stems 8 constitute chambers for the valves 14:, andthese chambers are of sufficient height to permit the waives to'be movedup 05 their seats 13.

The stems 8 are located laterallybeyond the tubing 1, and in viewthereof, the lower ends of their passages 12 are in communication withthe casing of the well. When the pressure in the tubing 1 is greaterthan that in the casing ofthe well, the valves 14. are seated andprevent the fluid in the tubing from flowing into the casin When thepressure in the casing becomesgreater than the pressure in the tubing,the gas or air in the casing flows upwardly through the stems 8 past thevalves 14: and into the groove 5 and enters the column of liquid in thetubing 1 with the result that the lifting impulse is imparted to thecolumn of liquid. As the groove 5 is annular, the air or gas flowingthereinto from the casing'will be evenly distributed into the'column offluid in the tubing. The valve may be provided with any number of ports7 and the means for controlling the flow of gas or air in the casingthereinto.

From the foregoingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, 5 it will be apparent that I have provided a flow Valve forthe tubing of an oil Well flowing 01' oil well pumping apparatus whichis adapted, when the pressure in the casing is greater than that in thetube, to permit gas or air in the casing to flow into the tubing andthus impart a lifting impulse to the column of liquid in the tubing.

While I have described the principle of the invention, together with thestructure which I now consider the preierred embodiment thereof, it isto be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative andthat such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope ofthe invention as claimed.-

I claim o A flow valve for the tubing ofan oil well flowing and pumpingapparatus, comprising a one-piece hollow body adapted to be interposedin the tubing and provided in the inner side of its wall between theends thereof with an inner annular groove of less' depth than thethickness of the Wall and increasing in width in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of the body, the body being provided in its Wallradially beyond the bottom of said groove with a passage extending fromthe lower end of the wall to, a point above the bottom of the groove,the wall of the body being provided with a radial portsmaller-diametrically than the greatest width of the groove andestablishing communication between the upper end of the passage and thebottom of the groove, and a downwardly seat- 40 ing valve in thepassage. i

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature. 1

' ROBERT E. BERWICK.

